The relevance of inflammatory markers in metabolic syndrome

To identify how severe is inflammation in metabolic syndrome using as inflammatory markers: C-reactive protein and leukocytes. To asses these markers considering the diversity of metabolic syndrome elements.

We performed a study that enrolled 258 patients registered to a family physician and diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The subjects included in the study were divided in two groups: group A-137 subjects diagnosed with metabolic syndrome that was defined by 3 elements: abdominal obesity+arterial hypertension+diabetes mellitus; group B-121 patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome based on 5 elements: abdominal obesity+arterial hypertension+diabetes mellitus+decreased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)+increased triglycerides.

We observed increased values of CRP and leukocytes for group B in comparison to group A: 0.9±0.8 mg/dl vs 0.79±0.8 mg/dl (p=0.02, significantly statistic). Leukocytes value was higher for group B, but not significantly statistic.

Inflammation in patients with metabolic syndrome depends on the number and association of elements that define this entity and it is more accentuated for subjects who associate more elements.